At the present time, metal flat roof structures and/or solar panel mounts include purlins in a generally C-shape or, in some instances, a box-shape for extra strength. The solar panels are then mounted on the purlins by means of bolts, screws, or other fastening devices. The purlins have an upper flat surface to which the solar panels are attached. The problem that arises is that the process of attaching the solar panels to the upper flat surface of the purlins is exceptionally difficult and time consuming.
For example, the solar panels or other roof sections must be placed on the upper flat surface of the purlins which can be a difficult task for larger roof areas, and then attached to the purlins by some attachment devices. The attachment devices can, primarily, be only inserted through the purlins and into the roof sections from the bottom or beneath the roof. This can be a daunting task since the roof sections are loose and held in place only by their weight. Thus, during the step of fixing the roof sections to the purlins the roof sections can become misaligned or incompletely attached. That is some bolts, screws, or other attachment devices can be inadvertently inserted through the solar panel proper or roof section proper rather than through supporting structures surrounding the solar panels or roof sections. Also, even if the assembly is error free, the task is very work intensive with the time and effort increasing as the errors are eliminated or attempted to be eliminated.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved clamp for attaching solar panels to a flat roof structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved clamp that is simple to manufacture and easy to use in the field.